SKYHAWKS DROP GAME THREE AT MURRAY STATE IN RAIN SOAKED REGULAR SEASON FINALE

May 20, 2017

MURRAY, Ky. – In a game that featured multiple weather delays, including a delay of over 90 minutes, the University of Tennessee at Martin dropped an 8-5 decision to Ohio Valley Conference rival Murray State on Saturday afternoon in the club’s regular season finale.

UT Martin (25-29, 12-18 OVC) was on the board first as freshman Connor Aube scampered home on a wild pitch from Racer starter Luke Brown to put the Skyhawks ahead 1-0 early. Murray State responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to claim the 2-1 advantage prior to the string of multiple weather delays.

Murray State (27-28, 15-15 OVC) picked up an additional run in the fourth inning, before UT Martin responded in the top of the fifth with a run of their own. Tyler Albright picked up yet another RBI in the series with a single down the left field line to bring home Aube and trim the deficit to 3-2.

The Racers seized control in the fifth with a trio of runs after another lengthy weather stoppage. The home club picked up three runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth to take a 7-2 lead into the late innings.

The Skyhawks did not go down quietly, as they brought home three runs in the eighth. Creighton Eldridge belted a double into left-center field to bring home Keylen Steen and Tanner Wessling, followed by an RBI-groundout from Aube to bring their squad within two runs, 7-5.

However, that was all the offense the visitors could manage, as the Racers tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to close the game and take the series by an 8-5 margin.

Kyle Laberge (1-3) picked up the start and was saddled with the loss after tossing 3.0 innings before they first weather break. Shane Seckinger tossed 2.0 and Alex Evans tallied 3.0 innings pitched as well in the loss. Brown (3-3) earned the win for Murray State.

Wessling (4-5, one run), Steen (3-3, one run) and Albright (3-5, one RBI) all recorded three or more hits in the contest.

The Skyhawks will next see action in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Tuesday, May 23 at 6 p.m. at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala. UT Martin will take on Austin Peay in an elimination game on the opening night of the 2017 tournament.